Car rental Gudauri and Kazbegi: 4x4 SUVs for the ski road
Car rental for Gudauri and Kazbegi from GO Car Rental, a Tbilisi company with its own fleet: Renault Duster from $65 a day, Mitsubishi Pajero, Land Cruiser Prado and Land Cruiser 200 with winter tyres in season, sedans from $35 for the summer road. Pickup in Tbilisi city centre with no delivery fee or at Tbilisi Airport for $30, insurance and unlimited mileage included, 15% paid online and the rest at pickup. Gudauri is 120 km (about 2.5 hours) from Tbilisi and Stepantsminda 155 km; from December to March the Jvari Pass (2,395 m) is a snow road, so take a 4x4 and check that the pass is open before you leave.
Car rental for Gudauri starts in Tbilisi, two hours below the slopes
The Georgian Military Highway climbs from Tbilisi past the Zhinvali reservoir and Ananuri fortress to the Gudauri ski resort at about 2,000 m, crosses the Jvari Pass and drops into the Terek valley to Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) below Mount Kazbek. It is about 120 km to Gudauri (2 to 2.5 hours) and 155 km to Stepantsminda (about 3 hours), and there is no railway, so a rental car is the only way to stop at Ananuri, the Friendship Monument and the pass on your own schedule.
GO Car Rental has no desk in Gudauri: you collect the car in Tbilisi, where our own fleet is based, or we bring it to Tbilisi Airport for $30, and you drive up the same day. In the ski season our 4x4 SUVs come with winter tyres; snow chains can be added on request. You pay 15% online to confirm, the rest and a refundable deposit of about $200 at pickup, and the car is inspected by our colleague before every handover.
- 4x4 SUVs with winter tyres in season, chains on request
- Pickup in Tbilisi or at Tbilisi Airport, 24/7, then straight up the Military Highway
- Unlimited mileage and insurance on every rental, one daily rate whatever the length
Planning the whole route? Read our Tbilisi to Kazbegi driving guide with an hour-by-hour plan, the rules of the road in Georgia, and the full price list.
from real travelers
Gudauri car rental in the ski season: what to know before the pass
Gudauri is the biggest ski resort in Georgia and the road to it crosses one of the highest paved passes in the country. This is how a winter car rental for Gudauri works with GO Car Rental, from the tyres to the fuel stop.
Winter tyres and chains
From December to March our 4x4 SUVs for Gudauri are fitted with winter tyres. Snow chains can be added on request; tell us when you book and our colleague shows you how to fit them at pickup.
Check the Jvari Pass before you leave
The pass is cleared daily, but after heavy snowfall it can close for a few hours and the police sometimes let only four-wheel-drive vehicles through. Check the road status on the morning you drive; we can check it for you on WhatsApp.
Fill up before the climb
There are more petrol stations in Tbilisi and Pasanauri than up at the resort. A full tank covers the drive up, a week of short trips around Gudauri and the drive back; fuel is full to full on every rental.
Fly in, drive up, ski
Land at Tbilisi Airport, meet our colleague at arrivals (any hour, $30 delivery fee) and reach Gudauri in about 2.5 hours. Keep the car for the week to reach Kazbegi on a rest day, then drop it at the airport when you fly home.
From Tbilisi to Gudauri and Kazbegi by rental car: distances and driving times
One road, the Georgian Military Highway, links Tbilisi with Gudauri, the Jvari Pass and Stepantsminda. Every stop below is on the way, so a Gudauri car rental covers Ananuri and Kazbegi too.
Choose your 4x4 for Gudauri and Kazbegi
Four cars from our own fleet that we recommend for the Military Highway: a Duster for two, a Pajero or Prado for a family with skis, a Land Cruiser 200 when you want the most capable car on the pass. All with winter tyres in season.
Kazbegi by rental car in summer: do you need a 4x4?
From May to October the Military Highway is an easy drive. Where you want to go off it decides the car.
Gudauri and Stepantsminda: any car
The highway is paved all the way to Stepantsminda, and in summer the road up to Gergeti Trinity Church is paved too. A Toyota Prius at $35 a day does the trip comfortably from May to October.
Juta, Truso and Gveleti: take a 4x4
The side valleys are gravel: Juta for the Chaukhi massif, the Truso valley for its mineral springs, Gveleti for the waterfall. A Renault Duster from $65 a day is enough; a Pajero or Prado adds ground clearance and space for a family.
Changeable weather, even in July
Snow on the pass is possible in June and September. If your dates are near the edge of the season, choose a 4x4 for peace of mind; the daily rate is the same whatever the length of the rental.
Pickup and drop-off fees for a Gudauri car rental
The daily rate is the same wherever you collect the car. Gudauri and Kazbegi trips start in Tbilisi, where pickup in the city centre is free and Tbilisi Airport costs $30 per end; the fee is shown separately from the daily rate on the booking page.
Car rental Gudauri and Kazbegi: good to know before you book
Short answers to what skiers and road-trippers ask us about Gudauri, the Jvari Pass and Kazbegi. Anything else: WhatsApp us, we answer in English and Russian every day.
How much does car rental for Gudauri cost?
A 4x4 SUV for Gudauri starts at $65 a day (Renault Duster), the Mitsubishi Pajero at $80, the Land Cruiser Prado at $110 and the Land Cruiser 200 at $135; sedans start at $35 for the summer road. Insurance and unlimited mileage are included. On top of the daily rate there is a $20 service fee per booking, and $30 per end if you collect or return the car at Tbilisi Airport; pickup in Tbilisi city centre is free.
Can I drive to Gudauri in winter with a rental car?
Yes, with a 4x4. The Jvari Pass is cleared daily, but after heavy snowfall the road can close for a few hours and the police sometimes allow only four-wheel-drive vehicles through. Our SUVs are fitted with winter tyres in season; chains can be added on request.
Can I pick up the car at Tbilisi Airport and drive straight to Gudauri?
Yes. Our colleague meets you at arrivals at any hour with the car for a $30 delivery fee, and Gudauri is about 135 km (2.5 hours) from the airport. Most ski guests do exactly this and return the car at the airport on the way home.
Is there a delivery point in Gudauri or Stepantsminda?
No. Cars are collected in Tbilisi city centre (no fee) or at Tbilisi Airport ($30 per end). Kutaisi, Batumi and Telavi are the other delivery points; the fees are shown on the booking page before you pay.
Do I need a 4x4 in summer?
For Gudauri and Stepantsminda on the paved highway a normal car is fine in summer. For Juta, the Truso valley, Gveleti or the Dariali gorge side tracks, and for peace of mind in changeable mountain weather, choose a 4x4.
How long is the drive from Tbilisi?
About 2 to 2.5 hours to Gudauri and about 3 hours to Stepantsminda in normal conditions. Allow more in winter and on Friday evenings in the ski season, when the road is busy.
Which car is best for a family ski week in Gudauri?
The Mitsubishi Pajero or the Land Cruiser Prado: both are 7-seat 4x4s with room for skis and luggage. For two people with skis a Renault Duster is enough. Child seats are available on request; tell us when you book.
Can I keep the car for a week of skiing?
Yes. Many guests pick up in Tbilisi, ski for a week in Gudauri and continue to Kazbegi or Kakheti afterwards. The daily rate is the same whatever the length of the rental.
How do I know whether the Jvari Pass is open?
Check the road status on the morning you travel, or message us on WhatsApp and we check it for you. In the ski season the pass is usually open; closures come after heavy snowfall and last a few hours, so a late-morning departure from Tbilisi is often safer than an early one.
Is it possible to cross into Russia at the Dariali border?
No. Rental cars may not leave Georgia except to Armenia with prior notice. You can drive up to the border area and the Dariali monastery, but not across.
Book your 4x4 for Gudauri and Kazbegi
Pick your dates; the booking page shows the daily rate, the $20 service fee and any Tbilisi Airport fee before you pay. Winter tyres in season, chains on request.